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Two New China Execs for Cooper Tire

Cooper Tire has named two new executives for its operations in China. Andrew Weiwen Chen has been appointed the new deputy general manager for Cooper Chengshan Tire Company, as well as director of finance for Cooper China. Mr. Chen’s primary association will be with Cooper Chengshan, although he will also have some financial responsibilities for Cooper’s China operations.

Reporting to Chuck Taylor, Cooper Chengshan’s general manager, and Jerry Long, chief financial officer for Cooper Asia, Mr. Chen will manage business planning and analysis, accounting and reporting, budget preparation, and treasury requirements.

13th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Conti Breaks Ground at New Plant Site

On June 12 representatives from Continental conducted a groundbreaking ceremony in China’s Changshu City. At the new Changshu City site, a hundred kilometres northwest of Shanghai, the company’s Automotive Systems division will build a 67 million euro hydraulic brake systems plant. This facility should be ready to begin production in the autumn of 2008, and by 2011 should employ around one thousand local workers.

The new plant will be built in phases in the Changshu Southeast Economic Development Zone, located in Jiangsu Province. Production will focus upon the manufacture of hydraulic brake products and services such as calipers for front and rear axles and brake boosters for all classes of vehicle. Annual production capacity by 2011 should reach 2 million brake actuation units and 4.6 million brake calliper units, with the factory supplying numerous OEM customers in China, Japan and Korea.

12th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

GPX Appoints New Head of Supply Chain

GPX International Tire Corporation has announced the appointment of Glenn D. Booth to the position of global director of supply chain management, a role he commenced on June 4. He joins the company from Coca-Cola Enterprises, where he served as a regional director of logistics.

“GPX is delighted that Glenn has joined our growing team and we look forward to harnessing his supply chain, logistics and consulting experience to foster and enhance our supply chain and logistics operations” stated Bryan S. Ganz, chairman of GPX. “Through Glenn’s extensive background, he will help GPX to facilitate and implement a positive solution to our current and future supply chain management challenges.”

11th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Japanese Michelin Plant to Focus on Hi-Tech Offerings

Michelin has decided to specialise tyre production at its facility in Ota, Japan so it can, as the company stated in a press release, “respond more effectively to the specific, highly technological requirements of the local market.” The plant’s efforts will focus upon Japanese demand for sophisticated products such as the directional tread studless winter X Ice tyre, which was especially designed for the Japan market.

The Ota plant will also provide support for Michelin’s R&D centre in Asia, thus strengthening Michelin’s research operations in Japan. To accommodate these changes, the plant will terminate production for other export markets, which represent approximately 60 per cent of its current output, and adjust its production capacities accordingly. Based on an initial estimate of the cost of the plan, a non-recurring expense of roughly 65 million euros will be recognised in the Company’s first-half 2007 financial statements.

11th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Tata Steel Looking at Increasing Tyre Wire Production

India’s largest steel producer, Tata Steel, is looking at making new acquisitions throughout Asia in order to expand capacity and establish a stronger foothold as a tyre industry supplier. According to the Indian business newspaper Mint, Tata Steel’s managing director B. Muthuraman has disclosed the company is looking to purchase both finished steel product companies and iron ore or coal mines in order to boost its annual 30 million tonne steel manufacturing capacity by more than 50 per cent within a decade.

“We are looking for acquisitions in the steel wires business in Indonesia and Southeast Asia. Apart from expansion in capacity, we also want to move into high grade, higher-value add wires used in tyre cords and oil tempered wires through acquisitions,” said Muthuraman. While the company is currently the world’s sixth largest steel wire manufacturer, producing half a million tonnes per annum, at present their principal tyre industry product is bead wire.

7th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Varta Introduces Three-Tier Battery Range

Varta Automotive Batteries is launching a new, three-tier product structure, aimed at making it easier for the trade to specify the correct battery for every age and complexity of car. The Blue Dynamic range, which provides 80 per cent replacement battery coverage of the UK car parc, is now joined by a Silver Dynamic product for the latest high specification models and a Black Dynamic battery targeted at cars over seven years old.

6th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Gajah Tunggal Bond Top Up Attracts $1 billion

According to news published in Finance Asia, Indonesia’s PT Gajah Tunggal re-opened its July 2010 bond programme on June 4, pricing US$95 million worth of 10.25 per cent guaranteed senior unsecured notes through financial services groups Credit Suisse and Lehman Brothers. The B2(stable)/B(positive) Reg-S transaction (a transaction conducted without registration under the US Securities Act) attracted orders to the tune of $1 billion.

The re-opened bonds priced at 102.75 (yielding 9.2 per cent), in contrast to the existing bonds, which as of June 4 traded at 103.125 or 9.07 per cent. The new issue price equates to a yield spread of 423.9bp over two-year Treasuries. The transaction tapped the company’s existing $325 million bond programme due to mature in 2010, raising the total size of the programme to $420 million.

5th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Performance Fibers Announces China Expansion

In order to meet ever growing radial production in the Asia region, polyester fibre manufacturer Performance Fibers has taken the decision to expand the capacity of its tyre cord fabric facility in Kaiping, China by 30 per cent. The company will install new equipment and machinery, which should be operational at full capacity by the third quarter of 2007.

This most recent investment is the latest in a series of planned expansions at the Kaiping, including a greenfield expansion completed in 2006 to expand production of the company’s patented Dimensionally Stable Polyester high performance fibre and fabrics. These expansions have more than tripled capacity since early 2004, “This latest investment shows our ongoing commitment to meeting the strong demands of the Asian tyre market that continues to experience double-digit growth,” said Greg Rogowski, president and CEO of Performance Fibers. “As we have previously announced, additional expansions are planned into the future.”

5th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

India & China Fuelling Increased Carbon Black Demand

According to the US market research organisation the Freedonia Group, worldwide demand for carbon black is forecast to rise by 4.2 per cent per annum, reaching an annual consumption of 11 million tonnes in 2011. Consumption is predicted to particularly grow in the Asia-Pacific region, thanks to the continuing expansion of China and India’s automotive and tyre industries. These two countries also saw the largest increases in new carbon black capacity between 2001 and 2006. In contrast, Freedonia states that it expects demand in developed regions to “post below-average gains through 2011, with the large US and Japanese markets holding particularly weak prospects.”

Two-thirds of this anticipated demand will come from the tyre industry, which is expected to account for 7.1 million tonnes by 2011. And with little construction of new carbon black production facilities, utilisation rates in developed markets is predicted to remain at 95 per cent or higher.

4th June 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Cooper Names Ron Shield as Interim VP, Asian Operations

Cooper Tire & Rubber Co. has named Ron Shield as interim vice president and general manager for the company’s Asian Operations. A 20-year employee, Shield joined the company’s Avon Tyre organization as a tyre consultant with responsibility for establishing a Pakistan operation. Through the years Shield held various management positions including business development director, with responsibilities for logistics, supply chain, international business development, information technology and new product introduction. In 2001, he was named vice president, European Operations, and managing director for Cooper Tire Europe, with responsibility for the entire European operation.

“Ron Shield’s success in Europe, as well as his extensive international experience, make him well-qualified to manage and continue the success of our Asian footprint,” said Hal Miller, president, International Tire Division.

22nd May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Techking Tires Becomes 100th Exhibitor at Tyrexpo Asia’07

China’s Techking Tires has become the one hundredth exhibitor to sign up for September’s TyrexpoAsia exhibition in Singapore, breaking all records for the show as it approaches its 10th anniversary. The OTR specialist is one of more than 20 Chinese companies who have helped swell exhibitor numbers, which have also been supported by increased interest from India and host nation, Singapore.

Newera Equipment and its subsidiary, Kayel Rubber Products, is one Singaporean business that will be making a major statement of intent. Working with its supplier partners from around the world, Newera will be exhibiting on no-less than five stands.

The company is Asia’s largest supplier of tyre-related equipment and will be displaying the latest computerised buffing machine from Matteuzzi. It will also be showcasing the Double Envelope System from Italian supplier MAE and another highlight will be the advanced Shearography Non Destructive Testing technology from German company, Steinbichler.

21st May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Michelin Most Satisfying – J.D. Power

Michelin has come out tops for customer satisfaction in the winter tyre market amongst vehicle owners in Japan for the fourth year in a row, according to the results the J.D. Power Asia Pacific 2007 Japan Winter Tire Customer Satisfaction Index (W-TSI) Study. This particular study is now in its fourth year and employs five criteria to determine overall customer satisfaction with their winter tyres: tyre performance in snow-covered road conditions, icy road conditions and regular road conditions, as well as appearance and quality/durability. Customer evaluations are scored on a 1,000 point scale to determine the across the board winner.

Seven tyre brands were included in the study, and Michelin’s overall index score of 636 points saw the French manufacturer not only securing first place but also topping all five individual criteria that determine satisfaction. Close behind was Bridgestone on 606 points, who also performed strongly in all five individual areas. Both Bridgestone and Michelin earned the highest rating in tyre performance on icy road conditions, and were the only two manufacturers to rate an overall score above the industry average of 587 points. At the other end of the scale the lowest overall score was recorded by Falken, who received 532 points.

18th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

WTA Appoints Two Former Goodyear Men

World Trade Association (WTA) has hired Peter Ahumada, formerly of Goodyear Tire & Rubber and Wingfoot Commercial, as VP in charge of their OTR tyre operations. Peter Ahumada has spent the last 37 years in OTR tyre sales, service, and training for Goodyear Tire & Rubber. He was responsible for tyre sales and service as Regional Manager in the Caribbean and both Central/South America for 18 years. In addition, he was also Area Manager in Southeast Asia, covering 22 countries, for OTR tyres from 1982 through 1985. Peter, will be located in WTA’s headquarters in Coral Springs, Florida.

Gilbert Ray, formerly Senior Field Engineer with Goodyear, Southeast Region, has joined WTA to better service their customers. Gilbert will be available to visit sites to determine proper product applications for WTA’s Xtreme Products. He will evaluate operating conditions, equipment visual inspections, air pressure checks, road conditions, speeds, loads, and do an in-depth tyre failure analysis. The tyre analysis will determine if WTA should do an in depth TMPH study and a tyre temperature study.

15th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Beru – Quarter Figures Show Mixed Results

Tire Safety System (TSS) manufacturer Beru AG has posted total sales revenues of 116.8 million euros for the first quarter of the 2007 financial year, nearly equalling the sales revenues (117.4 million euros) of the prior-year period. Earnings before interest and taxes (EBIT) reached 14.8 million euros, slightly down from last year’s 17.3 million euros and equivalent to an operating margin of 12.6 per cent.

The company’s Electronics and Sensor Technology division maintained its status as growth area during the quarter, with first quarter sales revenues of 38.8 million euros recorded during the quarter, an increase of 16.6 per cent over the previous year. Beru report that their TSS system was largely responsible for driving this growth.

15th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors

Sub-Standard Imported Tyres Lasting only 500km – Botswana Report

The general manager of Botswana’s Central Transport Organisation (CTO), the government body responsible for providing and maintaining all government fleet vehicles in that country, claims his government has spent some £255,000 on sub-standard tyres during the last financial year. Lt. Col. (ret) Moakofhi Modisanyane has reportedly stated that the blame for the poor quality of tyres supplied to the CTO lies with tyre dealers, whom he claims have acted to maximise their own profits at all costs.

Following a number of complaints from government vehicle users about tyres prematurely wearing, inspections were made of CTO facilities. Sub-standard tyres have been found at several CTO depots. Reports indicate that these tyres were manufactured in Europe and Asia, although were sourced locally. Brand names singled out as those wearing prematurely include West Lake Tire from China and Kyro.

11th May 2007/by Tyrepress Editors